Were it not for National Guard soldiers deployed to Washington, D.C., this week, all of the most cherished monuments in the nationa’s capital would have been defaced by violent protesters, Fox News’ Pete Hegseth said Friday night.

“I was there for three nights on the streets of Washington, D.C.,” Hegseth said. “At one point, it was me and a handful of other guys standing at the Vietnam War Memorial to defend it from people who would want to deface it, after the Lincoln Memorial.”

Hegseth said that while he was stationed at The Wall, he prayed and began to think how similar the situation was to that experienced by troops returning from Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, many of whom received hostile welcomes in the U.S.

“I remember saying a prayer there and thinking, ‘This is what it’s like to be a Vietnam veteran — what they went through when they came home,'” he said.

“I remember saying a prayer there and thinking, ‘This is what it’s like to be a Vietnam veteran — what they went through when they came home.'”

— Pete Hegseth

“If we had not been there, if the National Guard had not been there, every single monument would’ve been defaced, everything single business would’ve been looted and they would’ve laid siege to the White House in an unending fashion,” he continued.

Hegseth also blasted D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for being irresponsible and reckless in her handling of the Guardsmen and the protesters.

He also confirmed that Bowser essentially evicted several National Guard troops from a Washington hotel this week.

“That was the hotel I was staying at,” he said. “I can confirm that the guys that were still there have been kicked out of the hotel by the mayor. “The men and women in uniform who had nowhere else to stay, that is where the Army hotel had been set up so that they could protect the very city that she supposedly runs.”

Hegseth said that if not for President Trump’s swift actions to station the Guard, Bowser would’ve had “no way out of the mess she was in.”

While stationed in the District, he and other Guard members were subjected to “the most vile things” people could say — despite the fact they were there to defend the peaceful protesters’ First Amendment rights.

“Without [the Guard], you do not have any peaceful protest — and without what the president did in calling in the National Guard and the other people, Washington, D.C., would be a very different place tonight,” he said.

Host Sean Hannity agreed with Hegseth’s sentiment, calling Bowser “radical” and saying she used up precious city resources to paint a large “Black Lives Matter” slogan along 16th Street, which leads to the White House.

President Trump, he said, also blasted Bowser and compared her to Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey.

Former White House deputy chief of staff and Fox News contributor Karl Rove told “Hannity” Thursday that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden “muffed it bad” when responding to the death of George Floyd.

“It was really interesting because there was literally, like, two lines where he talked about the violence being perpetrated in these protests,” Rove said. “And some of his speech was devoted to talking about George Floyd.

“But four minutes into the speech, in a moment where the American people did want to hear partisan politics, Joe Biden began to attack the president.”

Biden on Tuesday called the protests sparked by Floyd’s death “a wake-up call for our nation” and vowed to reverse “systemic racism with long-overdue concrete changes.”

The former vice president also slammed President Trump as being “more interested in serving the passions of his base than the needs of the people in his care” and charged that the president “is part of the problem and accelerates it.”

“He said the president is interested in power, not principle,” Rove said. “That he’s concerned not about all of us, but about his donors, that he’s trying to quiet our voices and so forth. And I thought it was a real, real mistake.

“He could have risen above it as the president tried to do on Saturday, he continued. “But Biden muffed it bad, I think.”

Trump gave remarks on Floyd’s death and the violence perpetrated by rioters and looters Saturday while he was in Florida attending the launch of a manned SpaceX rocket carrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.

“That was a great set of remarks,” Rove said. “The problem was, it was Saturday afternoon and nobody saw it. So I wish, I wish he gave that speech again in primetime.”

Former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told “Hannity” Thursday that the National Guard may be needed to help control unrest in the city amid ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd.

“The NYPD has 38,000 police officers, and I would think enough police officers to do the job,” Kelly said, “but I’m starting to think if this continues for a couple more nights, we are going to need the National Guard.

“That was not my initial position,” Kelly added, “but something has got to be done.”

Kelly, the longest-serving commissioner in NYPD history, said NYPD officers are exhausted from working extended shifts, “being assaulted in every possible way, run down [by cars], hit by bricks, trashed.”

In addition, a shocking video posted on social media early Tuesday showed a NYPD officer being struck by a vehicle in what appeared to be a deliberate hit-and-run. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said the officer was still in intensive care, “but recovering slowly.”

“The mayor mentioned the other day that he was on the phone with them 50 times [one] night,” Kelly said. “That is way too much, way too much involvement from City Hall. [You] have to let the police professionals do their job.”

Sean Hannity slammed civil rights leader and MSNBC host Al Sharpton Thursday over his rhetorical sniping toward President Trump during a memorial service for George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“For those that have agendas that are not about justice, this family will not let you use George as a prop,” Sharpton said at one point. “They talk about making America great. Great for who and great when? We are going to make America great for everybody for the first time!”

In response, Hannity claimed Sharpton was not familiar with the president’s words or actions.

“Perhaps Al Sharpton missed the president’s comments or missed his early demand for immediate justice [for Floyd] and expedited an investigation,” the host said.

“The FBI [was] brought in by the president, the DOJ [was] brought in by the president and the civil rights division to work with local law enforcement authorities — [the four suspects] were fired in record time, all four officers have now been charged, serious charges, and we believe that justice will be served,” he said.

Hannity added that Sharpton may not have noted that his hometown is “under attack” from anarchists and looters.

“Last night in the City of New York, two officers were shot, another stabbed right in the neck,” the host said. “They were patrolling the streets of Brooklyn for looters but authorities are now probing the perpetrator’s possible links to terrorists.

“After a week of violence, police have been shot, run over by cars, beaten by mobs, hit in the head with bricks, frozen water bottles and other projectiles,” Hannity continued. “Several members of law enforcement have died, some are fighting for their lives and [are on] life support with life-threatening injuries as we speak — but the chaos and the anarchy continues.”

Hannity went on to describe the far-left rallying cry of “defund the police” as a “psychotic” “so-called solution” to the ongoing unrest.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told “Hannity” Wednesday that the Mueller investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia was set up in such a way that the “fox was guarding the henhouse.”

Earlier Wednesday, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testified that he would not have signed a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant renewal application targeting former Trump campaign aide Carter Page had he known about since-revealed “significant errors.”

“The most stunning thing to me was the scope memo outlining what Mueller could do was prepared by the same people that defrauded the [FISA] court,” Graham said. “… The same people that lied to the court set up the Mueller investigation.”

Sean Hannity wondered aloud Wednesday whether those fighting for justice for George Floyd will also seek justice on behalf of the law enforcement officers killed and injured during the recent days of looting and rioting.

“Everybody that sees this [Floyd] video [is] pretty much in agreement, with maybe the exception of a few keyboard warriors in their underwear, in their basements, talking to themselves,” Hannity said. “But for the most part, there is unanimous agreement on this, that … what we all watched with our own eyes can happen in this country. People rightfully demand justice for George Floyd.”

“A lot of other people now have been severely injured, some killed, in these violent riots… are they going to demand, for example, justice?” Hannity asked. “Look at [former] St. Louis police captain David Dorn … who was shot and killed by looters. What about the four other St. Louis police officers who were shot during violent protests? Will they demand justice for the Vegas officer in critical condition [who was] shot in the back of the head by a rioter?”

Hannity then shifted his gaze to the chaos in New York City and the efforts of the New York Police Department.

“This is unacceptable. Look at New York City. Anarchy has been particularly bad and out of control,” Hannity said. “One NYPD officer was mowed down by a rioter in a car. Another officer beaten by an angry mob. So far, over 30 members of the NYPD have been injured by rioters.”

Hannity criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who he described as one of the “dumbest politicians” in the world and criticized New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for enacting bail reform legislation that has allowed some rioters to be freed from prison.

“Thanks to New York’s absolutly insane bail reform … as soon as you you get arrested, no bail whatsoever,” hannity said. “So police then, they are forced to now deal with the same criminals night after night after night.”

“This was, from day one, a politicized partisan targeting of the president, of his campaign, of his team, of General [Michael] Flynn, of Carter Page. It was wrong. It was abusive,” Cruz said.

“Take everything Richard Nixon did in office that was wrong, abusing power and by any measure, what Barack Obama and Joe Biden did was much, much worse.”

Earlier Wednesday former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appeared before the panel as the first witnes in a new investigation into the origins of the Russia probe. During his testimony, Rosenstein acknowledged that he would not have signed a surveillance warrant renewal application for former Trump campaign aide Carter Page had he known about the since-revealed “significant errors” in that application.

Cruz pressed Rosenstein on why he didn’t ask more questions about the probe he once oversaw, which he described as one of the most important investigations at the DOJ at the time, and accused the former Justice Department number two of being either “complicit” or “grossly negligent.”

“‘I see nothing. I hear nothing.’ That was Rod Rosenstein’s defense today,” Cruz told host Sean Hannity. “Every element, essentially, he signed the papers in front of him. He said he just didn’t read the FISA applications, that he kind of read it quickly, but not every word.

“And he just took the FBI’s word for it,” Cruz said. “So the fact that you had an FBI lawyer fraudulently altering documents, he didn’t ask any questions.”

“Listen, the reason someone is put in a leadership position at the Department of Justice or the FBI is to lead, and that means if it has been corrupted and turned into a partisan weapon, you’ve got to ask the hard questions,” Cruz said. “And sadly, what his testimony today was is that he did not.”

Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli told “Hannity” Tuesday that President Trump is prepared to use all of his “legal authorities” and take matters into his own hands if America’s governors don’t call on the National Guard to protect their residents from riots and looting.

“There is a complete gap between those parts of America where they’re using forward-leaning, pro-public safety law enforcement tactics … and George Floyd protesters can protest peacefully there,” Cuccinelli said.

“And then,” he continued, “there’s the other side of the gap where they are too timid to bring out the Guard when things get violent or to offend the protesters by being aggressive in their police tactics and … you’re seeing the violence get worse. You’re seeing the criminality get worse.

You’re seeing people come in from outside who want to take part. They’re opportunistically violent and that’s what has to stop.”

“The president has been very clear that that’s the approach he is going to take and if he has to go all the way up to using his legal authorities, as the president has the legal authority to utilize that level of federal resources if it’s needed,” Cuccinelli pointed out. ” Of course, we want to avoid that … [and] achieve peace before that’s necessary.”

Cuccinelli praised the Guard and credited them for achieving peace “more broadly” in areas in which they were deployed.

“We have all our colleagues out on the streets of the city I’m sitting in, in Washington, to keep the peace,” he said. “And guess what? It’s more peaceful because of it.”

“We’re not going to give the rioters some room to vent. That isn’t what you do. The minute that they get violent, you push them away from the targets of their violence … that achieves peace and you have to keep doing it with more resources and more resources until it’s entirely quelled and peace is restored.”

Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sean Hannity blasted New York’s Democratic leadership for what he said has been a failed attempt at restoring law and order in New York City.

“Mayor [Bill] de Blasio, what part of this are you seeing that you ‘do not need’ help?” asked the “Hannity” host after the mayor told reporters earlier Tuesday that “we do not need, nor do we think it is wise” to bring in the National Guard.

“Governor Cuomo, why aren’t you acting?” Hannity continued. “You talk but you don’t act. You have to ask the president for help or he will have to go back to 1807 and invoke the Insurrection Act … Your police are under attack in your state and your city … “

The host called for the use of “overwhelming non-lethal force” by authorities, saying: “You cannot reason with those people who are out there burning your cities, looting your stores — New York with their stupid laws, they get released, guaranteed by law.”

“[A]rrest every single one of these thugs [are] breaking the law, putting people’s lives in jeopardy and destroying property,” Hannity added.

Hannity then accused presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden of being unhelpful and often counterproductive, saying that he represents “decades of old, liberal, failed leadership in cities and states across this country.”

Sean Hannity expressed grief at the death of George Floyd Monday night, saying that the Minneapolis man’s life and death are now being overshadowed by the looting and vandalism carried out in major cities by violent anarchists.

“Make no mistake. We have been very clear. Peaceful protesting surrounding this horrific death of George Floyd is warranted and substantial and the right thing to do,” Hannity said.

“Sadly now, the life and death of George Floyd is getting overshadowed by criminals, anarchists, those looting and burning groups like Antifa who are wreaking havoc on the streets of our cities,” Hannity continued.

“At this point, hundreds of businesses have been utterly destroyed; storefronts smashed in, fires burning out of control, looting in many great American cities. Business owners violently attacked.”

The host described how a Rochester, N.Y. woman was “savagely assaulted by an angry mob” who were vandalizing her store, and that a Dallas man was beaten unconscious by looters.

“What we are all witnessing as a country is a fundamental failure of liberal governments, liberal governors, liberal mayors all across the country,” Hannity said. “Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland and other major cities now ravaged by chaos. They have been run by Democrats for decades.

The host added that governments in cities have been failing their residents for decades under liberal Democratic contol, and claimed that the same left-wing governance that was to blame for the failure of the COVID-19 response in some states is again making life difficult for residents.

“They know about Antifa. They know about these anarchists. They know the risks they pose. They have let this build and build and build and do nothing to stop the violence,” Hannity said. “Maybe on night one they could have said they weren’t prepared. What’s your excuse for nights two, three, four, five? They knew that cities were vulnerable to looting and violence during times of unrest. Yet, they are totally unprepared for anything as always.”

He described Democratic politicians’ handling of the violence “a total complete dereliction of duty.”

“There was no plan, a spectacular failure on every level,” Hannity said. “The damage, the carnage, the wreckage will go on for years as a result of this. This chaos needs to end now.”

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